Maxatawny Plaza Tentatively Cleared

February 04, 1993|by DAWN KOPECKI, The Morning Call

Maxatawny Township supervisors last night tentatively approved final plans for a shopping plaza along Route 222 near Kutztown.

The $8 million Maxatawny Plaza will feature a Kmart and possibly a Giant supermarket. Although negotiations are still under way, Heflin Properties, Ltd., expects to secure contracts with Kmart and Giant and possibly with McDonald's within the next month, said partner Richard P. Chervenak.

Kmart and Giant alone will need more than 325 employees, and Heflin will need an additional 250 construction workers for the nine-month project, Chervenak said. Heflin is taking bids for the construction project.

The Connecticut-based builder gained tentative approval for a traffic signal at the plaza entrance intersecting Route 222. Borough engineer Chris Falencki must review and recommend the final plans for approval before supervisors can vote on the measure at next week's meeting.

Chervenak said the project could begin as early as May 1. Heflin plans to open the plaza for business about nine months after construction starts, he added.

In other business, the supervisors rebuked attempts by Kutztown Mayor James W. Schwoyer to trade Maxatawny land for sewer and water customers.

After Maxatawny rejected Schwoyer's offer about a month ago, Kutztown conducted a survey in the township to determine whether to put the annexation issue on the ballot. Kutztown looks to nearly double its 560-acre land base by adding 400 acres from Maxatawny.

"They're just using us to increase their tax base," said Supervisor Norman E. Adam.

Zettlemoyer agreed saying, "These municipalities use the annexed land and get fat on it." Supervisors didn't take action, but Adam and Zettlemoyer plan to attend Kutztown's meeting Tuesday.

"I would rather like to see this thing get evened out and have us be neighbors, but I don't think we can be neighbors if they're trying to take our land away," Zettlemoyer said.